by Jennifer Haynie @JenniferHaynie1

Labor Day. A time to rest. That evening, the sun began setting. A breeze filled the air, and Steve and I started talking about our summer. It’d been a good one, a one to relax and change up the schedule a bit.

Then I said it.

I was actually looking forward to a schedule.

Some people, like kids who have to go back to school in the fall, might cringe at such a statement. For many, it means goodbye to a free-wheeling time.

But schedules are important. Why?

Schedules lend predictability to life. Some people live by spontaneity and find being on a schedule akin to a death sentence. I get that. I totally do. It can be fun not to know what the next day brings. But many of us need predictability that comes with knowing what’s on the schedule. For many of us, it means they have a steady income because we go to work on a regular basis.

Schedules mean interaction. Steve and I are in a prayer group at our church. These people are our closest and oldest friends. They know us the best. We typically meet on Sunday nights to share what’s going on in our lives and to pray for each other as well as friends and family. We meet in the summer on a more casual basis. And thanks to vacations, we haven’t gathered regularly. I miss my friends. I miss that regular contact with those who are outside my family of origin. Schedules can provide the interaction we all need, even if we don’t want to admit it.

Schedules mean accomplishments. Face it. If most of us operated spontaneously without someone keeping us on schedule, we’d get very little done, be it at home, at work, or at school. Even some semblance of a schedule means bills get paid, the house gets cleaned, and work tasks get completed.

Schedules can lead to better health. Sometimes, it’s easy to let inertia take over our lives. We say we’ll exercise—tomorrow. Or start eating right—next month. Or get more rest—after the Holidays. Being on a schedule can lead to intentionality related to our health. We set a bedtime, plan out when we’ll work out next week, and soon, we can become healthier.

Schedules can help us survive. Seems extreme, doesn’t it? There have been times in my life where, when life flew out of control, a schedule marked a sense of normalcy. It helped me get through what was a really tough time.

As for my life? Small group started yesterday, and my writers’ group began on Saturday. It’s been good to reconnect with friends. I’ve also put myself on a schedule for completing the next draft of my novel in November. And I’m putting myself back on a hard-core schedule for working out. Hopefully by the end of the year, I’ll be able to look back and say a schedule did me good.

Question: If you like schedules, why do you like them?